Holiday Party – What to Wear?

This can be an exciting and nerve-wracking question. Holiday parties are a great opportunity to try new things. Don’t be too intimidated. I have three easy steps for a chic and stylish look. All you have to do is 2 of the 3 and I guarantee success!! **A bonus if you do allllll three.**

1. Red is your friend!

2. Add something that sparkles.

3. Include one featured piece.

Easy right? With those simple steps, you are set. And it works for all levels of dress — from the casual party to the formal events! I know what you are thinking, that seems so simple, how can that be true? Trust me. I’ll break it down for you. Starting with #1.

1. Red is your friend.

Keep it simple, a red dress or red pants or red jacket or red shoes or a red lip.

The great thing about red is it immediately brings to mind the holidays. It’s easy to wear and it looks pretty amazing on everyone. Red heads always act like they can’t wear red. It just ain’t so.

A red lip is a great way to dress up a black dress or take an outfit from a regular solid outfit to holiday chic! I challenge you to try the red lip to upgrade your look. My friend Meg who’s not a big lipstick wearer wore a black lace dress to her office party and then jazzed it up with the bold lip. I think she looks Christmas chic!

Moving on to Number 2: Add something sparkly. It is so easy to take a regular going out outfit and upgrade it… (every time I write upgrade I here the Beyonce song — here’s a glimpse into my brain — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nr8hPnZfMU)

Don’t be afraid to play it safe with an LBD — just upgrade it 🙂 — with some bling in a bold necklace and a bright red lip. You will be feel like a chic lady ready to take the holiday party circuit by storm.

Whether the sparkle you add is a rhinestone statement necklace, a sequin blazer or brocade pants… the secret is to pair with basic pieces… like a beautiful black crew neck t-shirt with a black sequin mini and a bold necklace. If you are feeling shy, keep the sparkle in a necklace or a stacked bracelet set. If you are feeling a bit bold, go alllll sequins — like a nice sequin cardi and a bold blingy necklace!

And to number 3… include a featured piece. By include a featured piece I mean something like plaid or a velvet. These are materials might be in clothing items that are VERY seasonal. For example, I busted out my velvet blazer last week but that’s because I was at a performance of the Nutcracker in Indiana where it was snowing — it was more than appropriate. I followed my own rule too by wearing a sparkly headband! My friend Maria and I actually did a twinsie night — in twin velvet blazers and sparkly headbands!

I like using plaid because it can be very fun and playful. On the other hand, I love velvet because it’s such a tactile fabric and it makes me feel like such a lady. Wear what calls to you! Have fun with it and you can’t go wrong.

So there you have it, follow just 2 of these steps (or all 3 my brave ones), and you will be set for the next holiday event you attend.